Not So Typical
by Bailz
Summary: AU. It’s a typical boy meets girl love story, except the girl is in a relationship of three years. Closh and Clairington. For Abby. On hiatus.
1. trailer

**The were the it couple.**

They were the Troy and Gabriella of Westchester Academy.

_As soon as they reached the table, he pulled out a chair for her. She thanked him with a smile and a kiss. Their friends sighed at their production, but the girls secretly wished they had a Josh Hotz of their very own and the guys all wish they could call her _theirs.

**He was the new kid,**

With a one way pass to the WA A-list.

"_Everybody, this is Derrick Harrington, my new neighbor. Derrick, meet the guys." Kemp introduced in his usual lazy fashion. Cam, with a roll of his eyes, filled in the names of 'everybody'. Derrick nodded his greeting before turning back to his cell phone. _

**Still learning the ropes,**

And the names, and who is off-limits, and what exactly off-limits means.

"_Who is _that_?" Derrick asked Kemp as another girl walked through the Hurley's door. She was a small blonde and, even from the distance, she could tell she was pretty. Actually, though Derrick was one to use the word 'hot', the word just didn't fit, she was drop-dead gorgeous._

"_Claire Lyons. A goddess among us." Kemp answered, taking a moment to stare at Claire's retreating form. _

"_And Hotz's." Plovert added as he joined the two boys. "Don't even bother. If Josh catches you _looking_ at her, he'll beat you to a pulp."_

**It's a typical boy meets girl love story,**

Except the girl is in a relationship of three years.

**Starring Derrick Harrington,**

"_I don't think I've had the pleasure meeting you yet." He held out a hand that she took immediately. "I'm Derrick Harrington and you must be the Claire Lyons I've heard so much about."_

**Claire Lyons,**

"_I'm completely happy with Josh, Derrick. When you get that through your thick skull, let me know."_

**Josh Hotz,**

"_Stay away from her, dude." Josh's voice was calm, but his eyes were threatening, even to Derrick. _

**Dylan Marvil,**

"_Claire, listen to yourself! I know you love Josh, but there is _something _between you and Derrick, something unexplainable." Dylan whisper-yelled to her best friend._

**Kemp Hurley,**

"_She is my _best friend _and I will not allow you to hurt her."_

**Todd Lyons,**

"_You know what dad says, Lyons roar and whatever!" Todd threw his hands up in annoyance. "You figure is obnoxious lectures have to be good for something!"_

**and 'everybody' else.**

"_Nice to meet you, Derrick." Massie gave him a once over and liked what she saw._

"_I don't actually know what you mean by that, but sure." _

"_Try to break _them_ up and _I _will break _your _face." _

**Coming soon. **


	2. Approved

**THIS is an abnormally long...filler. it's just kinda introducing the characters and their relationship. Chapter two will probably be slightly similar. just to jump from summer to school. hope you slightly like it anyways.**

**just so you know; the AU comes in HERE and all the chapter following. Cam is rambly. Kemp is awesome.! Chris is random. Josh is over protective. Derrick is slightly jerky, at least at the beginning. Claire is gorgeouss, because i want her to be, and rich and alpha. Dylan is beta. you'll learn more about them below. and, no relationship in the actual book ever happened. **

**For everyone who reviewed. hope it's not too bad. (and for abby for being fantastic and updating Forever Starts Tonight (FST VS. NST, FST FTW).) -DISCLAIMED-**

* * *

"A family just moved in next door." Mrs. Hurley informed her son casually, trying to get him to actually talk to her. "They have a boy your age. His mom said he plays soccer, and I can't remember his name for the life of me... Ah, right. Derrick Harrington." She continued, though she wasn't positive if Kemp was even listening.

"That's great mom." He replied, distracted by the IM box in front of him. "I'm assuming you want me to get meet him?" He asked as he typed something on the laptop's keyboard. Without waiting for the 'that'll be great' he knew would come, he continued. "I'll do it before you leave." Mrs. Hurley knew that that was the end of that conversation and, with a quick nod, exited the living room.

**khurley: **Yo, Plovert. Make sure somebody's bringing the food. & the drinks. & everything. I'm supplying the location and some random kid named Derrick Harrington. See you in a few.

**plovert: **Sounds like a plan. I feel that that is a job for Fisher and Hotz. See you there.

_khurley went away at 6:17 PM. _

**khurley: **PARTY! See you all at 7:00.

**---**

Claire Lyons phone buzzed, Dylan, Kristen, and Massie's following seconds behind. "That's the fourth. I'm going for six, you guys in?" Claire announced, flipping open the phone to read Chris Plovert's mass text. '**Party at Hurley's. Be there. 7:00 PM or later.' **Every time there was a party thrown by one of their (close) friends, the guys got a little mass text crazy. The four girls always bet to see how many they would get, from the time they woke up to the time the party started.

They all added their input, four, five, and eight, before turning back to Dylan's mirror. Getting ready for a party, even one as idiotic as Kemp Hurley's, took a lot of mirror time, make up, and hair products, or at least in their book. "Finished!" Massie smiled, turning to her alpha for the final approval. Claire looked away from her reflections for a fraction of a second to look at her friend.

"You look great. Can you call or text Cam or Josh to tell them we have a ride?" Claire requested. Massie took the kind request as an order and picked up her phone, her thumbs flying over the keypad. "What do you guys think?" Claire asked after a few minutes of silence.

There was a chorus of 'total ten' and 'gorgeous' in response. "Josh will die when he sees you." Dylan, her faithful beta, informed her as she pulled up her flaming red hair. She bit her bottom lip in concentration, ruining her perfectly applied lip gloss. "As usual." She added after she finished her hair. She went back to her lips and Kristen continued applying her makeup.

Then came the loud mix of buzzing and beeping and an odd cricket chirp, signaling mass text number five. "Kris, you lost already. Seriously, we need to take ourselves off their contacts or something." Massie smiled in victory, winning this game was a big deal to them on party days. **'Kemp's at 7. See you there.' **Cam's message read.

"Griffin sent out an email, per Kemp's request, too. There is no way anybody will forget." Dylan looked at Claire for her approval and Claire nodded with a smile. "And that's one text from all of them. Which means Massie probably lost, knowing Kemp." She thought out loud before squealing over how good Kristen looked. Only Claire's phone buzzed the sixth time.

**Kemp: **New kid at my house. Derrick Harrington. Seems cool. Find us first.

**Claire: **Alright. See you there.

**Kemp: **& remember, 7 doesn't apply to you girls.

Claire smiled at the IM. Not only was their a new kid, which Claire always adored, Kemp remembered to _ask _if this kid could hang out with them instead of just assuming. Everybody is still scarred from the Jesse Murray incident nobody cares to relive. "New boy at Kemp's." Claire summed up the IM in a few words, answering the girls questioning gazes. "And he said to get there early. Everybody ready?"

**---**

Every party thrown by one of the guys in the group was almost a routine. The other guys showed up first, a half an hour to an hour early, and the girls showed up fifteen minutes to a half an hour early. It works well and the girls were never one for a dramatic entrances. Or at least they weren't after Claire Lyons arrived from Orlando and changed _everything. _

Today was no different. Chris arrived an hour before the party started, like he always did for a party at the Hurley's, Griffin following ten minutes later, and Cam and Josh showing up at 6:30 with the food and drinks and whatever else Chris forced them to get.

"Where's mommy Hurley again?" Josh asked after he barged into the house, his arms full of boxes. Without waiting for anybody to help him, he dropped the boxes on the floor and stepped over them, heading to the living room.

"Work something for a few days. She'll be back on Wednesday or something." Plovert answered, Kemp couldn't be found, as he picked up the boxes and set them on a nearby table. "Where's Cam?" In reply, Cam Fisher pushed open the door, empty-handed. "Right. Hey, Cam." Chris greeted, before walking into the living room after Josh, Cam at his heels.

"Who's that?" Cam asked bluntly, signaling to the blonde boy lounging on a couch. The blonde looked up for a fraction of a second before looking back down to his cell phone, where his thumbs were flying over the keypad faster the Massie's did, which is saying something.

"That," Kemp began, joining them in the big room. "question will remain unanswered for a second. He's staying for the party." Kemp talked about the boy like he wasn't in the room. "Well, he has to meet Claire first." He added, his friends sharing knowing glances, all thinking about the Jesse Murray incident.

"So, introduction time. Everybody, this is Derrick Harrington, my new neighbor. Derrick, meet the guys." Kemp introduced in his lazy fashion. Cam, with a roll of his eyes, filled in the names of 'everybody'. Derrick nodded in greeting before turning back to his phone for a second time.

"The girls will be here soon." Griffin spoke his first words since arriving at Kemp's, reading over the text he just got. "Five minutes, tops. Claire said that if it's messy, they aren't going to help clean." He added. The guys exchanged looks before going to straighten up the house, leaving Derrick to sit on the couch, his phone his only company.

**---**

"That is Kristen Gregory. Crazy-good soccer player and Plovert's girlfriend of two days." Kemp and Derrick were near the stairs, the perfect distance away from the door. It was always good to meet the girls before actually meeting them. Trying to remember their names and focus on the conversation, with their looks and peppiness was almost impossible the first time you meet them.

They watched Chris walk up to Kristen with a quick kiss, before starting a conversation. Then they turned back to the door. "Dylan Marvil. Loud, hot, and a guy at heart. Completely single, if you get desperate enough." Though the comment sounded evil, Kemp's tone was playful as he watched his friend run right up to Cam before she started to yell, probably accidentally, in his face. "Stay on her good side though."

"Why?" Derrick asked, watching Dylan and Cam closely. Kemp just replied with a 'you'll see'. He waved at Dylan who beamed back. The girl was way to happy for her own good. Another girl walked through the door, and Kemp briefly wondered if they were purposely walking in that way.

"Massie Block." Kemp said after a moment's hesitation. "Watch out for her. You seem to be exactly her type. _A guy._" This time, there was no playfulness traced in his voice. Derrick was about to ask what happened between the two of them, but then _she _walked through the door. Kemp didn't give a name, he just took the time to stare at her.

"Who is _that_?" Derrick finally asked. Kemp took a second to answer as she walked further into the house. She was a small blonde and, even from the distance, Derrick could tell she was pretty. Actually, though Derrick was one to say 'hot', the word just didn't fit this time, she was drop-dead gorgeous.

"That, my friend, is exactly why you should stay on Dylan Marvil's good side." Kemp answered after a second. "She is super sweet, funny, and well...you saw. But, if you do something to make her mad, you should fear for your life. And being mean to her best friend is one of the things you could do. Claire Lyons, a goddess among us." He sighed, taking a moment to stare at her retreating form.

"And Hotz's." Plovert added as he joined the two boys. "Don't even bother. If Josh catches you _looking _at her, he'll beat you to a pulp." Chris smiled at Claire when she turned around for a second and she waved back. "I thought she was supposed to come over here to meet Derrick."

"She will. But, Josh and Claire haven't seen each other in over twenty-four hours and you know how bad that is." He rolled his eyes. "Just remember, Harrington. When she gets here? Play nice. If you make her mad, you'll be escorted out and never invited back."

"Claire Lyons has that kind of control." Chris then walked away.

**---**

In the short distance it took to travel from Josh to Kemp, the living room to the foyer, Claire got the sixth mass text. There was only seven more minutes left until the clock struck seven, and it wasn't likely for the guys to send out another mass text so close to each other.

After reading Chris's text, **Last warning. Kemp's at 7. Be there or be square, **and all of it's cheesy glory, Claire let out a victory shout. "I WON!" Only with her nearest and dearest friends, and Derrick Harrington, could she be her complete, dorky and competitive, self. The girls jokingly glared as she passed.

---

"Kemp!" Claire threw her arms around him. If Dylan was her best girl friend and Josh was her boyfriend, Kemp was her best guy friend. "It's been a while." She smirked, remembering the last time they were together, aka two days ago. Lets just say that it involved the window of Kemp's mom's office and some water balloons and leave it at that.

"Yeah, you know, fourty-eight hours away from you is almost unbearable." Kemp smiled after Claire pulled away. "This..." Kemp starting, about to introduce Derrick to Claire, when he was interrupted by Derrick Harrington himself.

"I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you yet." He held out a hand that she took immediately. "I'm Derrick Harrington and you must be the Claire Lyons I've heard so much about." Claire nodded with a smile before turning to fake-glare at Kemp. She hated, even with her popularity, when people talked about her and if this Derrick Harrington character was telling the truth, the guys have been talking about her.

"Yeah, I'm Claire. It's great to meet you." She took her hand back. "I didn't get to see Griffin or Cam yet, so... I'll see you around." And then she walked away, pulling out her phone and sending out an IM to all of her friends.

**Claire: **I approve. Get ready to add another boy to the ongoing list. You all know the drill. And MB? I think I've found you a new boy.

**Kemp: **Oh no, CL. I will not allow you to mix DH in with the devil on his first day.

**Massie: **Ooh, really, CL. Tell me more.

**Kemp: **Am I not speaking English? TELL HER NOTHING!

**Dylan: **YAY! I can't wait to meet him...

**Chris: **DM? Tune it down a bit. I can feel you screaming over IM.

**Griffin: **Shut up, guys. You are in the same house. I don't enjoy a constantly buzzing cell phone.

**Claire: **Love you too, G!

---

"Congrats, man. You passed the test." Cam congratulated Derrick as he walked up to him and Kemp. "I honestly didn't think she'd approve. You're too...golden retriever. Is that what Dyl said? I think so. But honestly, with that girl, you never know..." He trailed off. "That had no point. Just, congrats. Good to know we have more guy company. Like we need it."

"What test?" Derrick queried. Without answering, Cam walked away. "What test?" Derrick asked Kemp, but he shook his head.

"Don't question it. Just nod your head." Kemp answered. "Welcome to Westchester." Across the room, Claire smiled at Derrick. Kemp's phone beeped, and he showed it to Derrick.

**Claire: **Welcome to Westchester, DH. You'll be the main attraction at WA for a while. Hope you're ready for it. I'll see you around. -CL.

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**hope you liked it! (: review if you want. **

**i'll do my best to answer any questions. and i'll update sooner then later.**

**happy holidays, bailey.**

**(and, i'm posting a holiday oneshot tomorrow or christmas eve. (: )  
**


	3. Bored

**Hey everyone! How was your holidays? Mine were fun, my family as amusing and complicated and annoying as ever. **

**This is the last chapter before school starts. So, it jumps a week or two, i guess. This is mainly a filler with a little bit of _how everything happened _kinda thing. i edited the trailer, changing around the quotes and adding two primary characters, nothing major though. just note; KEMP HURLEY and TODD LYONS are main characters.  
**

**The guys.? Might be slightly OOC, but it's an AU so that's alright. The way i write them is the same way my guy friends are. There are that many and everything. (: it's very convinient.**

**thanks for the awesome reviews! (i'm replying to the anon. ones at the bottom) and thanks to all those who reviewed my holiday oneshot, home for the holidays. you guys are great.**

**disclaimed. dedicated to abby (for giving me the two songs written below THAT I DO NOT OWN) and the two awesome anon. reviewers, kat and senna.! enjoy.  
**

* * *

Claire Lyons walked across the Hurley's large living room to the beat of Make Damn Sure by Taking Back Sunday, which was blasting out of Kemp's ipod, thanks to the awesome speakers Kemp's mother got him for his birthday. Minutes before the clock struck 7:00 PM, the guys pushed the couches and chairs against the navy-blue walls so the guests had enough room to dance.

It was now 7:10 and Kemp's was already crawling with the teenagers that make up Westchester Academy student body. From Freshmen to Senior, a-list to b-list (or, at least that's what Massie recalled), _everybody _who was _anybody _was either at Kemp's or on their way over.

_Claire _was on her way to the stairs, where Derrick and Cam were watching the door as they leaned against the breakfast bar. Chris and Kristen were already making out in a corner, Massie was sending what she thought was seductive looks in Derrick's direction, that he was ignoring, Kemp was greeting the guests, Josh was no where to be found, and Dylan was a few feet in front of Claire, heading over to the two boys too.

Claire was soon stopped by Kori Gedman, one of the groups friends who had been in Paris for majority of the summer break. As Kori chattered happily about how beautiful Paris was, Claire had never been, Dylan continued in the boys direction.

"Hey!" She greeted happily and loudly when she was in front of the two sophomores. "I'm Dylan Marvil!" Dylan informed Derrick. Derrick replied with a smirk, a handshake, and a 'Derrick Harrington' and, knowing that's all she was going to get, Dylan turned to Cam. "Fisher! I was wondering if you had seen...oh! It's Alicia! I'll be back, don't miss me too much!" Dylan caught the eye of her Spanish friend and scurried off, soon followed by Kori.

"Cam! I'm sorry I haven't come to talk yet." Claire walked up to Cam, ignoring Derrick's presence, and apologized quickly. Another group of people burst into the house, Todd Lyons leading the group right into the living room.

"Hey, Claire! It's alright. We've allied our selves with some pretty crazy friends." Cam dismissed the apology easily, giving her a hug. "Eh, I probably should go see Todd. Kemp and Chris are already over there..." And, with a quick wave, he walked towards the freshmen, the most popular freshmen at WA, due to his older sister, and two of his best friends, leaving Claire and Derrick alone.

"Derrick." Claire nodded in the blondes direction, waving to Todd's girlfriend as she made her way to the drinks. "Have you had the chance to meet everybody yet?" Claire finally decided to play alpha, a title she never used, and actually care about the possible member of their tight-knit group. Though they've only added one person to the group, the guys, Claire, and Dylan took two months to properly welcome Massie Block, and there was a chance that it'd take even _longer _to welcome Derrick Harrington.

"Everybody but Massie and Kristen. Massie hasn't come over yet and Kristen and Chris disappeared a few minutes ago." He replied. "So, who's Todd?" Derrick asked Claire as she stepped to lean against the wall beside him. He was already used to having one of the guys there to comment on anybody worth commenting on.

"My brother." Claire smiled, glancing in the direction of her younger brother. "Him, and his friends, and us hang out a lot together. Me and Todd are really close, we have been our whole life and we were _not _about to let the move change that." Claire was telling Derrick way to much, he had no idea what she was talking about, but he didn't bother asking. He just nodded his head.

---

"_Whatever happens," Claire started. They were in Claire's Florida bedroom minutes after their parents gave them the news. They were moving. Not just moving houses, even cities, not just a state away. They were moving to _New York_. They knew almost nothing about Westchester, New York, but they didn't have to. They already hated it. Because, no matter what their parents say or promise or give or how much the beg, Westchester, New York wasn't Orlando, Florida and there will never be a time that it is._

"_We will _always _be best friends." She declared to her young brother firmly. "It doesn't matter where we are, how old we are, or who we're with. We are best friends and there will never be a time that we're not." And then he hugged her and she _never _wanted him to let go. She didn't want to go to Westchester, New York or whatever other city full of rich snobs their parents decided to drag them to, she wanted to be home. The place she spent twelve years adoring, not the place where she spent zero years knowing. _

_---_

She believed they'd be best friends at the time. She believe they'd stay as inseparable as they were for the first week they were at Westchester. But then Claire met Dylan and the guys and Todd got his own friends, and they were no longer the best friends they always were.

But they still stayed close. They had at least one day a week they'd just hang out, no matter the circumstances. They watch movies, shop, bowl, do their homework, anything and everything friends do. They still talk about everything, but it's not what Claire promised herself the day her parents changed her life forever. Not even close.

"Claire?" Derrick nudged the girls shoulder. Claire looked up in surprise. "Finally. I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes." His slightly worried expression was quickly replaced with his smirk and cool eyes. "Josh is on his way over here." And with that, Derrick departed, leaving Claire and Josh's threatening glare behind.

---

"_I'm Dylan Marvil!" The redhead in front of Claire introduced herself, loudly and happily, two words that always capture Dylan Marvil perfectly, as Claire sat alone at lunch. It was her third week at BOCD and she had yet to make any real, hang-out-after-school, friends. She had Todd._

"_Claire Lyons," Claire grinned back. Dylan then informed her that sitting alone at lunch was _boring _and that she should go and sit with Dylan and her friends. Claire thanked the seventh-grader and followed her to the lunch table on the other side of the cafeteria. There sat other five.. The first thing Claire noticed about them? With their voices mixing together they had at least one thing in common with Dylan, they were loud.. The second? They were all guys. _

"_Claire, meet Cam, Josh, Kemp, Chris, and Griffin. The good soccer players of BOCD. And, well, Griffin." Dylan took one of the empty seats, gesturing to each guy in turn before gesturing to the seat beside her. "Guys, meet Claire Lyons." And they all greeted her with a smile, and a stare, before pulling out there phones. Claire looked at Dylan questioningly, but Dylan just shook her head and continued talking about...god knows what._

**Josh**: uh. That girl? SMOKING HOT.

**Chris: **How rude, josh! Do you think she'd like you texting about her hotness?

**Cam: **yeah, CP. I'm all about being kind to girls and everything. BUT DIDYOU SEE HER?

**Kemp: **yeah, fisher. We all saw her. We're all awestruck. She may possibly be the most...something seventh-grader on this planet. I'm pretty sure we should save her from Dylan. You know how she gets.

**Josh: **fine. I call dibs, though.

_That day, not only did Claire Lyons finally make friends, she also began hiking up the road to popularity. Dylan introduced her to _everybody _and everybody had the same reaction. The guys all believed she was 'smoking hot' (and funny and nice and whatever else) and the girls all wanted to be her new _best friend_. Everybody had the same reaction but the infamous TPC. _

_Dylan introduced Claire to Massie Block, Kristen Gregory, Olivia Ryan, and Alicia Rivera after school that day. One things for certain, they all hated her. She was beautiful, nice, funny. She was already taking their job at ruling the school and she didn't even _realize it. _Claire never considered herself pretty or nice or funny. She was just Claire Lyons, starting a new school, a new life. She had no idea what she was in for. At the time, she never knew that her and her, very awesome, friends would be ruling the school as a sophomore, or close to ruling the school as a freshmen, or being what the school was about as an eighth grader. _

_---_

"Claire?" This time, Josh's voice broke her thoughts. Claire looked up with an apologetic smile. "You're very zoney today. Are you sure you're alright?" Claire had only seen Josh for a total of probably fifteen minutes today, and he had asked if she was okay probably fifteen times.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, though." Claire took his hand, tugging his arm to join her against the wall. Josh opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the buzzing of Claire's cell phone. "I'm sorry, my phone keeps interrupting today." She apologized, flipping open her phone to read the text.

**Kemp****: **CLAIRE! WHERE ARE YOU?

**Claire: **By the stairs. Why?

**Kemp: **I NEED YOU IN THE LIVING ROOM! ALICIA IS ALL "OH KEMP YOU KNOW YOU WANT ME"

**Kemp: **UHM. NO I DON'T, RIVERA.

**Claire: **haha. Hold on to your humanity a little longer, I'm on my way!

"Josh! I'm sorry, but Kemp is being ambushed by Alicia again. I'll see you soon." And, with a quick kiss that you could barely call a 'peck', she walked away, her hips ticking in time to Born For This, by Paramore, as she walked away. Claire had only seen Josh Hotz for about fifteen minutes that day, and she had already walked away four times.

Josh couldn't help but wonder _what _was going on. They've been together since seventh grade and spent three happy years being _happy_. They rarely fought, haven't broken up once. They loved each other. But, in the back of his mind, Josh questioned himself. If they were so happy, so in love, why couldn't they have a conversation anymore without getting bored?

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**did'ya like it? hate it? tell me in a review, please.!**

**SENNA; i'm glad you like it. i hate massie being super-duper special and whatnot, mainly because she's not that great, and i adore dylan and claire. i wish they were my IRL best friends. (: hope you liked this chapter too!  
KAT; your review made my day! i'm glad you liked it. i know, it's hard to decide if it'll end as a closh or clairington. i'm leaning towards the latter, though.**

**so review. tell me if you liked it and how your holidays were.! favorite gift? how'd you spend it? ect, ect. and enjoy your sunday! (i'll update in a few days.)  
**

**-bailey.  
**


	4. Flirting

**i swear, this entire thing has a point. i promise. (: even if it appears it's completely random. it's all needed for the chapters that follow.**

**I NEED HELP; i want a name for this group, because there is only so many words for 'pack', 'group', 'friends', 'popular sophomores'. so, wanna suggest something? i'd love you forever. (:**

**kay, quick summary; Derrick is new. Dylan and Kemp are Claire's, popular and beautiful, best friends, and Josh is her boyfriend. Todd and Claire are really, really close and only a year younger. Josh is overprotective, Cam is rambly, Chris is random and fatherly, Dylan is loud and happy, Massie is slutzilla (could be worded nicer, i guess), Griffin is quiet, Derrick is quieter and slightly jerky, and Kristen...well, she doesn't have a personality yet. just to put everything you learned into a few sentences. hope it helped. (:**

**disclaimed. i don't own the characters or any of the cereal mentioned...or well, anything but Ness Plovert and the plot. hope you like it!  
**

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"You look great, Claire!" Dylan barged into Claire's bedroom two hours before they officially began classes as WA sophomore. Merri Lee Marvil goes to work at an ungodly hour and drops Dylan off on the way, their few minutes of mother-daughter bonding.

Claire smiled at her best friend in greeting, but didn't agree with her compliment. Claire had tried on fourteen different outfits and cleaned off and reapplied her makeup six times. But no matter what she did, the reflection staring back at her just didn't look right.

"As do you, Dyl." Claire yawned, not everyone can be super perky at six in the morning. Claire decided to just trust Dylan's taste. Though considered a 'beta' by anybody who actually pays attention to that stuff, Dylan was honest. If Claire looked like crap, Dylan would tell her. They were best friends, not just alpha and beta, and if best friends could be trusted for one thing it was being able to be trusted.

Claire wasn't lying when she returned the compliment, either. With her red hair pushed back with a black headband, paired with a huge black hobo bag and black flats, and clad in a short, flattering, mint green dress with a black belt resting loosely on her hips, Dylan looked as beautiful as ever. And without her moaning and groaning about being 'fat', she was more fun to be around, which was saying something.

"So, I'm thinking Lucky Charms for breakfast." Dylan informed Claire, her mind already off of appearances and focused on something much more important. Food. "Or maybe some Cocoa Krispies...do you have any?" She asked as they walked out of the room, headed towards the kitchen.

---

The Lyons did have Cocoa Krispies. After filling their bowls with sugary cereal and milk, the two girls made their way to the living room, where they watched an episode of The Hills taking up space in Claire's TiVo. Twenty-five minutes and two bowls of cereal later, Todd appeared, barely-awake and fully dressed.

"Last night, Griffin told me that he'd pick me up too, my ride ditched last minute. But, he also told me to ask you just in case, and I forgot." Todd told his sister, slightly groggy. He sat in 'his' chair before looking at his sister expectantly. "You don't mind, do you?" Claire shook her head, flipping open her suddenly buzzing phone.

"Kemp! Are you excited or what?" Claire answered her phone brightly. She was suddenly wide awake, probably thanks to the two bowls of the sugary Lucky Charms. Dylan and Todd heard Kemp reply with a tired 'or what'.

Claire and him came home late, again, after four games of bowling and a lot of neighborhood roaming. It was their 'last hoorah' before school started and Josh was busy with his sisters birthday, so he didn't have a chance to get jealous of the time Claire spent with her best friend. Claire smiled at Dylan and Todd apologetically before exiting the living room stage left. Todd changed the channel.

---

"I've come with brownies!" Chris crawled into Griffin's car, he was the last one to be picked up in the mornings. Griffin's driver stopped at Kemp's, picking up him and Derrick, followed by Claire's where they picked up Claire and Dylan and Todd whenever he needed a ride, and swinging by Plovert's ten minutes before arriving at WA. The rest of them took the Block's car to school, as they lived on the other side of Westchester.

"Why? Sudden urge to bake last night?" Claire joked, scooting over to make room for the new arrival. Chris did not know how to make _cereal _let alone bake brownies .

"Ness was bored and she decided that it'd be fun to bake some brownies." Chris explained, pulling the plastic container out of his bag. "Then she remembered she was on a diet." He added with a roll of his eyes, handing a chocolate square to Claire. Ness was Chris's college-age sister, who was visiting from Yale for a few weeks, and she's been on an ongoing diet since she was thirteen.

"I love Ness's cooking!" Dylan took the brownie from Claire's fingers, taking a big bite of it. "All hail Nessa Plovert's everlasting diet and her sudden urge to bake when she visits." Dylan proclaimed in a loud voice and everybody, but Derrick, replied with a happy 'hear, hear!"

"I'll be sure to tell her you guys like them. Don't all of them, please. We have a carload of others who want to eat some of Vanessa's fantastic cooking." Chris took the container back from Kemp, who glared.

"Yeah, well that carload of people decided to live farther away! Can you blame us for living closer to you then they do?" Dylan reasoned, digging through her bag. "Does anybody have any gum? I thought I brought some, but it's not here..."

Derrick had one thing to say about his new carpool. He was, for one of the first times in his life, _terrified. _Dylan was scarily loud and happy, Chris was scarily bossy and fatherly, Griffin was scarily silent, Kemp was scarily Kemp, and he wasn't sure what it was about Claire, but Derrick had never been so fearful of somebody in his entire life.

"I have some." Derrick tossed a pack of gum at Dylan. He learned a lot about the group in the nine days following the party, but there was one thing he always remembered. He was not officially part of the group until they decided he was. Cam said he'd know he was 'when the time was right'. Kemp told him he had to stay on Claire's good side.

Staying on Claire Lyon's good side wasn't a very easy thing to do. The guys gave him loads of advice throughout the nine days, they had taken a liking to him and didn't want to say goodbye, and Derrick was trying his hardest to stick to it. Be nice, avoid rude comments, laugh at others jokes and make jokes, give to others. Claire was nice, funny, giving, and she wasn't about to let someone who wasn't join her group of friends.

"Hey, Derrick, can I have a piece?" Claire asked loudly over the others voices. Derrick knew she had three packs of gum in her purse, she bought four packs at the drugstore the day before and they went through one pack, and he had a feeling he was testing her.

"Of course, Claire. All of you, help yourself."

---

Josh Hotz was the first to step through the door of Westchester Academy. Every girl, from freshman to senior, and the odd boy in the back hallway stopped to look. Josh Hotz was one of the most wanted guys in the school. Sweet, romantic, funny, and well, his last name _is _**Hot**z.

When the next person stepped through the doors, her hand in Josh's, all of the girls looked away from Josh, and _everybody's _eyes fell onto Claire Lyons. The guys all staring at her, all wishing that it was their hand she was clutching, and the girls all wishing they _were _her, or at least her best friend.

The rest of their friends trickled in behind them, Kemp leading the pack, pulling Claire's hair and making her laugh. Cam and Dylan followed, laughing at something, and Plovert was lecturing Massie (Chris was very fatherly with his friends). Derrick Harrington took the spot at the end, his phone attached to his hand like usual.

Most people had already met Derrick. Everybody who was anybody was at the Hurley's his first day and the spent the other nine days at the usual hangouts. Bowling alley, movie theater, the Westchester, Slice of Heaven, Westchester Park. Though rich, Westchester residents were like normal teenagers and normal teenagers had their hangouts.

Most people still weren't used to the extra person in the popular group of sophomores. New kids at Westchester Academy usually started at the bottom of the 'popularity food chain' (Massie's words) and if they didn't, they usually started as blisters or C-listers (again, Mass' words). Starting at A-list was almost unheard of, at least in WA. At BOCD, Claire came close and Griffin was befriended by Dylan his first day, but they were the only two A-listers at WA (and BOCD) who managed that.

"_That _is Derrick Harrington." Strawberry McAdams', a blister, nasally voice reached the groups ears. "Super cute. Since I've given up on Josh, you think I have a chance?" Claire rolled her eyes, only Strawberry would be stupid enough to talk so loud when they were so close, and continued pushing the keypad on her cell phone. She took her eyes off the screen to turn around, looking past all of her other friends, to wink at Derrick. His phone buzzed.

**Queen Claire: **Think she has a chance?

**Derrick: **Never met her. Who gave you permission to mess with my phone?

**Queen Claire: **Didn't know I needed it. (: Office is coming up. Who would you like to join you on the long journey?

**Derrick: **Claire; I choose you!

**Claire (your queen): **Thought so. I have to go talk to Principal B anyways. Get up here.

**Derrick: **Whatever you say, my queen.

Derrick pushed his way through the pack that was his new friends, making the jump from end to front in seconds. When she was standing next to Claire, she turned around. "Derrick needs to go to the office for last minute registration crap." Claire walked backwards through the hallway, it wasn't like anybody risked getting in her way. "And I have to go talk to Bowers. So, we'll be extending the trip to the MO. Someone please grab my schedule from the table and meet us at our usual table in the cafe."

Nobody questioned her and, with a wave, she steered off to the main hallway, Derrick at her heels, as everybody else continued walking to the sophomore hallway. It wasn't until Claire finished her short talk with Principal Bowers (better known as Bow-wow-sers, due to his name and puggish look) that her phone buzzed.

**Kemp: **This text was meant to be sent when you left. But Josh is watching me.

**Kemp: **DH's flirting.

**Claire: **Flirting? No. He's being nice.

**Kemp: **I know flirting when I see flirting. He's flirting.

**Claire: **He wouldn't dare! Josh...well, you know what Josh would do.

**Kemp: **That I do. So does he, actually.

**Claire: **This conversation is over. DH is done. See you in a few minutes.

"All set?" Claire asked Derrick as she hoisted her bag onto her shoulder again. Derrick nodded with a smile. "As am I. Principal Bowers told me that if me and my friends kept up the trouble we caused last year, there is a good chance we could get suspended, which is no good on our permanent record." Claire rolled her eyes at the principal's words. Why was she the one always getting warned? She was the good one of the group! "Great to see you too, Bowers." She muttered and Derrick laughed.

**Kemp: **Flirting.

* * *

**yeah, so remember, that all had a point. from claire's -i look like crap- to dylans -i don't complain about my weight- and the fact that claire was texting the entire morning and well...everything.! **

**HAVE A GREAT NEW YEARS EVE AND DAY. (: i, for one, am super happy to start 2009. ONE OF MY RESOLUTIONS.? getting through this entire fic. i didn't do it for F&F and i want to prove i can.  
**

**review, if you want. and i'll talk to you all next year.! (: -how cheesy of me- i'm going to a hotel for the holiday and i'm not a big swimmer, so i'll have time to write the next chapter. expect an update soon.!**

**-bailey.  
**


	5. Lunch

**guess my excuse.! did you guess school.? you win at life. THIS took me forever. homework and friend drama and everything. **

**this has to be the shortest thing i've ever written. i'm not bothering dedicating it to the people i was going to. because it was just so short. FOR ABBY, as usual.  
**

**the lunch schedule is just like mine, i'm stuck with 'A' lunch. i hate it. and the claire/kemp story is pretty much mine and my best friends story. enjoy.  
**

**disclaimed. i don't own it. kay, thanks.  
**

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"'A' lunch has to be the worst lunch ever." Dylan decided, walking beside Claire as they squeezed through the crowd, heading towards their usual table, Derrick and Kemp still in the lunch line. "Who the heck eats lunch at ten fifteen? And why do the sophomores get stuck with it? What about the lowly freshmen?" She continued her ramble, claiming table seven, the table by the window with a bang of her tray.

"Dyl, the 'lowly freshmen', a name Todd would be very upset with, have 'A' lunch, too." Claire pointed out, gesturing around the cafeteria, as if it was proof there was freshmen company. It was true, of course. Instead of separating the lunches into A, B, C (and sometimes D and E), mixing in all four grades evenly, Westchester Acadamy only had lunches 'A' (freshmen and sophomore) and 'B' (juniors and seniors). The class sizes were pretty small, so small that the combined grades fit comfortably in the large cafeteria.

"Well, you got me there." Dylan sighed, still mumbling about eating lunch before she normally woke up on weekends and breaks. "The juniors and seniors should have 'A' lunch then!" Dylan declared, her eyes instantly brightening again.

Claire's mouth turned down into a frown, probably of annoyance, and Dylan had to resist the urge to cover her ears. Claire was nice, unless she was provoked, and always scolded Dylan (and the rest of their friends) when they were insensitive, which was pretty much anything that wasn't a compliment or polite in Claire's book. "Dylan, that wouldn't be fair to-"

"The juniors and seniors. They already had to eat lunch _way _early for their first two years. Why should they be punished, forced to eat so early, because you don't want to. It's not like your not hungry and we only have one more year of it." A voice joined the conversation.

"Exactly." Claire nodded with a smile. Both girls were facing the window, their backs facing the cafeteria, so they didn't notice anybody coming up behind them. "Kemp, you know me so well." She teased without turning around. Kemp's unique laugh was the reply as he and Derrick made their way around their table, trays in hand.

"What did I say about finishing each others sentences? It's weird. Really, really weird." Dylan rolled her eyes at the two friends. She wasn't jealous, far from it, but the whole 'finishing each others sentences' thing gets really old, really fast. They had been cutting down over the summer, but school must bring out the friendship they have.

"It's not that weird. You guys have been friends for a really long time, right?" Derrick questioned. Dylan shook her head at Derrick, a silent 'shut up' forwarded in his direction. Claire chewed the fry she stole off of Kemp's plate slowly, as if deciding how to answer that question. Kemp did it for her. "Wrong." He didn't clarify and Derrick wasn't going to ask.

"Ooh! Is it 'lets tell about the one thing Kemp and Claire really regret and get all mushy over' time, since D is new and whatever?" Massie's voice chimed in as she took a seat, Griffin and Kristen following her lead. "I love this story!"

"Shut it, Mass. You want them to kill you?" Griffin shushed Massie, rolling his eyes. Chris and Josh walked up, completing the group, and overheard their friends load voices. They groaned. "Who asked?" Chris asked, though he was pretty sure of the answer. Massie and Kristen pointed an accusing finger at Derrick, who looked back at Chris innocently. Claire was still staring off into space, probably lost in a memory of some sort, and Kemp was lining up the fries he and Claire hadn't finished off. "There goes Claire's good mood." He sighed, allowing Josh to pass him to sit next to her.

"Claire will get over it, guys." Massie butt in, though she knew it was pretty much useless. The guys (minus Josh) all thought of Claire as a younger sister (she was younger then them all by a year to a few months) and were really protective of her. Telling the "one thing that Claire and Kemp regret and get all mushy over" story was one thing they rarely allowed.

"Fine. Once." Josh allowed. It's not like the story was something huge or bad or anything. It just made Claire feel really guilty and made Kemp go all un-Kemp. Massie smiled in victory, she really did love the story, thought whoever told it would probably stick to the shorter version, which was Massie's least favorite version.

"Kemp and Claire haven't always been friends." Chris started. Kemp looked up to hear Chris's version of the events, he always was best at telling the story short and to-the-point, but Claire continued staring at the table, lost in her own world. "Claire moved here in seventh grade, so it's impossible to have been friends their whole life, and they weren't even friends then. It was the guys, minus Kemp, and Dylan and Claire, with Kemp around when Claire wasn't and vis versa." Dramatic pause. "They hated each other."

"Its what happens when two of the most stubborn people on the planet are forced to befriend each other." Massie added. Chris glared in reply and Kemp rolled his eyes. Massie couldn't help herself. They _were_ two of the most stubborn people to walk this earth and it _is_ the reason they hated each other, but Chris was telling the story and he didn't like being interrupted.

"Well, yeah, that's the reason." Chris agreed, picking up where he left off. They really truly despised each other. They threw insults at each other constantly, he would do anything he could to bug her and she did not disappoint with her responses. It drove everyone, besides Massie and Kristen, who weren't part of their group yet, absolutely up the wall in annoyance.

They were juts so different. Kemp was this _thing _that everybody hated, but many wanted to befriend. He was rude, perverted, annoying, and taking the wonders of swearing very seriously. Claire on the other hand, played the role of innocent angel. Sweet, loveable, understanding, and the worst words to come out of her mouth were words second graders considered 'bad words'. Stupid, shut up, that sucks, loser. He was revolted by her kindness and she was nauseated by his obnoxious behavior. And they had no problem with everybody knowing it.

Nobody is really sure how or why it all changed. One day they ere throwing insults back and fourth, the next they were lost in a, seemingly friendly, conversation when everybody arrived at the lunch table.

Massie fake-yawned. "The shorter version is so bor-ing!" She whined. "The longer version is so much more amusing." Everybody rolled their eyes at the drama-loving sophomore, majority of them silently wondering why they talked to her.

"You are so ah-noy-ing." Kemp mocked, nudging Claire for a fourth time. Massie and Kristen had pretty much dropped the mysterious language of Massie Block and the rest of TPC, but sometimes they couldn't help themselves. They'd been talking that way for years and the change was sometimes difficult.

"Hm. Interesting story." Derrick smiled at Kemp and Claire across the table. Claire looked up, blinking hard, as if she just woke up. "I'd have never imagined, you guys act like you've been friends your entire life."

"Well, we haven't been." Claire responded sharply. Those memories always made her crabby, she hated it then and she hates it more now that she learned what a great guy Kemp is once you get past the jerkiness and the annoyingness and the pervertedness. And, since the two have been friends, Claire had become a lot less 'innocent angel' and Kemp had become less obnoxious. They complete each other.

"Hey, hey, hey." Derrick held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. I had no idea, had I, I wouldn't have asked." He met her eyes, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, and Kemp nudged Claire who was smiling back.

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**there isn't much to review. but if you do, i'll love you forever. (: i'm posting the first chapter of meet me either tonight or tomorrow. and the next one of this by next week. **

**til next time, **

**bailey.  
**


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